SKOPE designs and manufactures commercial refrigeration and food-service products for the hospitality and retail sectors – from restaurants, bars and conference facilities to commercial kitchens, supermarkets and convenience stores.

As well as offering a comprehensive range of standard products, SKOPE leads the way in the custom design of refrigeration solutions.

SKOPE is positioned as the commercial refrigeration brand of choice and market leader in the industry. It has strong partnerships with a number of global refrigeration leaders who share its values for quality and innovation.

SKOPE is actively looking into new opportunities in Asia, including Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.

History

Founded in 1942 and operating under the SKOPE brand since 1965, SKOPE is a family-owned company with a difference – managing director Guy Stewart answers to a board of highly experienced advisors, including four independent directors. This provides the company with all the corporate disciplines of a public company.

In its early years, SKOPE operated from one small factory in the Christchurch suburb of Addington, with 25 employees. Today, it occupies the same site but has expanded to establish a research, design and production plant that takes up the whole block.

Company size

SKOPE employs approximately 375 staff in Christchurch and has a team of 15 salespeople based across Australasia.

It has a large design and innovation team, made up of more than 30 skilled staff – including refrigeration, mechanical and electrical engineers, as well as a team dedicated to research and development.

Customer service is a key focus of the company. It has a large team of more than 20 people dedicated to customer service, logistics, estimations, warranties and spare parts.

Research and development, customer service, manufacturing and head office functions are based in Christchurch, while a dedicated sales and projects team is based across New Zealand, Australia and, more recently, the Middle East.

SKOPE also has partnerships with Italian-based MISA and Irinox, and China-based Haier.

Research and development

With its combined research, design and production plant in Christchurch, SKOPE is proud to have the largest design and innovation centre of its kind in Australasia.

It stays at the forefront of technology advances in all fields of refrigeration development, including constant investigation into high efficiency componentry, digital technology and natural refrigerant technologies.

SKOPE believes that raising standards in design and performance, while lowering environmental impact, are key to its future and are core design principles.

A primary focus for SKOPE’s design and innovation team is to continue reduction in areas that contribute to global warming through the release of CO2 equivalent gasses. SKOPE will continue its existing energy reduction programme as the environmental and sustainability focus continues to grow globally.

Roles within the company and company culture

SKOPE employs the best staff from a pool of local and international expertise. Many of its sales team are former chefs, which sets the company apart from its competitors by providing unique insight into the needs of an exceptionally specialised industry.

As SKOPE continue to grow its global presence, it remains committed to supporting the local community.

For the past six years SKOPE has been a major sponsor of the Canterbury Tactix netball team, and for the past 11 years it has sponsored the SKOPE Classic, a classic car race held annually in Christchurch.

The company has a registered charitable trust that allocates its funds back to the needs of Christchurch primarily by supporting a variety of programmes, including the Court Theatre and Christchurch City Mission.

Other information

SKOPE is Coca-Cola Amatil’s largest commercial refrigeration supplier in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands.

The awards listed below recognise the work SKOPE has undertaken over the past 40 years in innovation, refrigeration design and energy reduction.

2012

Winner of the CCA Australian Supplier of the Year (trade equipment)

Finalist in the New Zealand International Business Awards (over $50m category)

2011

Overall winner of the CCA Australian Supplier of the YearWinner of the CCA Australian Supplier of the Year (trade equipment)Winner of the CCA New Zealand Supplier of the Year

2010

Runner-up of the inaugural CCA Australian Supplier of the Year (innovation category)

Building new and developing existing relationships is an integral part of SKOPE’s philosophy. Locally SKOPE builds relationships with complementary technology partners, with a view to building long-term, value-added high-technology partnerships.